The Aussie dollar is too strong for the Japanese.
The exchange rate with our dollar against the Yen has certainly risen and would not be helping Japanese tourism into Australia.
However,at the same time the Yen/US dollar rate has always been high....and it has never stopped the Japanese from visiting Hawaii.
The Aust and US dollars are closer today than they have been for a long time.So why are the Japanese still visiting the US but at the same time losing interest in Australia.....
In a word 'Marketing'.....but I can't see the strategy of replacing a legacy carrier with a LCC helping to show the Japanese that they are a valued customer.
As has been said before....image or perception is all important.